The 17 laws of football. Whether you're new to football or checking for the latest advances in the laws of football, this presentation will have all of the answers.

1. FOOTBALL RULES
THE 17 LAWS OF THE
BEAUTIFUL GAME
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2. FOOTBALL RULES
Whether you're new to the game or
just need to touch up on the latest
football rules, this presentation has
all of the Association Football rules
for the 2016/17 season.
So sit back and familiarise yourself
with the rules to keep yourself on
the right side of the ref.

3. WORLD FOOTBALL RULES
FIFA (THE GOVERNING BODY OF WORLD
FOOTBALL) UPDATE FOOTBALL RULES AND
REGULATIONS EACH SEASON. THESE ARE
DOCUMENTED IN FIFA'S LAWS OF THE GAME.
THESE LAWS HAVE EVOLVED FROM THE
ORIGINAL LAWS OF THE GAME CREATED IN
1863 BY THE ENGLISH FOOTBALL
ASSOCIATION.

4. THE FIELD OF PLAY
A FOOTBALL MATCH CAN TAKE PLACE ON EITHER NATURAL
OR ARTIFICIAL GRASS/TURF, HOWEVER THE SURFACE MUST
BE RECTANGULAR IN SHAPE AND GREEN IN COLOUR.
THE RECTANGLE COMPRISES TWO LONGER BOUNDARY LINES
CALLED TOUCHLINES AND TWO SHORTER LINES CALLED
GOAL LINES. THE PITCH IS THEN SPLIT INTO TWO HALVES,
WITH THE MIDPOINT CALLED THE HALFWAY LINE.
THE TOUCH LINE (LENGTH OF FIELD):
MIN 90M- MAX 120M WIDTH
THE GOAL LINE (WIDTH OF FIELD):
MIN 45M - MAX 90M
THE PAINTED LINE IS A MAXIMUM OF 12CM, AND ALL LINES
MUST BE THE SAME WIDTH.
LAW
01

5. THE BALL
THE BALL IS SPHERICAL IN SHAPE AND MUST BE MADE OF
LEATHER.
IT MUST WEIGH BETWEEN 410G - 450G AT THE START OF THE
MATCH AND HAVE A CIRCUMFERENCE OF 68CM - 70 CM.
THE BALL PRESSURE MUST BE EQUAL TO 0.6 -1.1
ATMOSPHERE AT SEA LEVEL.
THE MATCH IS STOPPED IF THE BALL BURSTS AND RESTARTED
BY A DROP BALL (WITH NEW BALL) BETWEEN TWO OPPOSING
PLAYERS.
LAW
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6. A FOOTBALL MATCH IS PLAYED WITH TWO OPPOSING TEAMS
COMPRISING 11 PLAYERS, ONE BEING THE GOALKEEPER.
IF EITHER TEAM HAS FEWER THAN 7 PLAYERS THE GAME
CANNOT START OR CANNOT CONTINUE.
TEAMS CAN USE UP TO 3 SUBSTITUTES THROUGHOUT THE
GAME (HOWEVER SOME INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY FIXTURES
MAY ALLOW UP TO 6 SUBSTITUTES).
ONCE SUBSTITUTED, A PLAYER CANNOT RETURN ONTO THE
PITCH.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS
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7. PLAYERS MUST NOT WEAR JEWELLERY OR ANY ITEMS
DANGEROUS TO THEMSELVES OR OTHERS
BASIC COMPULSORY EQUIPMENT INCLUDES:
• A SHIRT OR JERSEY
• SHORTS – UNDERSHORTS OR COMPRESSION TIGHTS MUST
BE THE SAME COLOUR AS SHORTS
• SOCKS – ANY TAPE MUST BE THE SAME COLOUR AS SOCK
• SHINGUARDS
• FOOTWEAR (FOOTBALL BOOTS)
GOALKEEPERS MUST WEAR DISTINGUISHABLE COLOURS
FROM THE OTHER PLAYERS AND REFEREE’S KITS.
PLAYER’S EQUIPMENT
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8. THE HEAD REFEREE ENFORCES THE LAWS OF THE GAME. THEY
HAVE FULL AUTHORITY AND THEIR DECISION IS FINAL,
REFEREES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR:
• ENSURING ALL PLAYERS HAVE THE CORRECT EQUIPMENT
• KEEPING TIME
• SIGNALLING KICK OFFS AND THE END OF THE GAME
• PUNISHING ANY RULE VIOLATIONS
• ANY STOPPAGE IN PLAY DUE TO INJURIES OR WEATHER
• DECIDING IF A GAME CAN CONTINUE OR NOT
A REFEREE HAS A SET OF YELLOW AND RED CARDS. YELLOW
CARDS ARE GIVEN TO PREVENT REPEATED RULE BREAKING
OR UNSPORTSMANLIKE BEHAVIOUR.
IF A PLAYER RECEIVES TWO YELLOW CARDS, THIS IS THE
EQUIVALENT TO A RED CARD, AND HE IS SENT OFF THE FIELD
AND CANNOT RETURN.
HEAD REFEREE
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9. THE HEAD REFEREE HAS TWO ASSISTANTS, KNOWN AS
ASSISTANT REFEREES. THEY HELP THE REFEREE:
• WHEN THE BALL LEAVES THE FIELD OF PLAY
• BY SHOWING WHICH TEAM IS ENTITLED TO A GOAL KICK,
THROW IN OR CORNER KICK
• HIGHLIGHTING IF A PLAYER IS OFFSIDE
• IF ANY INCIDENT HAPPENS OUT OF THE HEAD REFEREES
VIEW
• IF A TEAM REQUEST A SUBSTITUTE
• WHETHER THE BALL CROSSES THE LINE AT PENALTY KICK,
OR IF THE KEEPER STEPS OFF HIS LINE BEFORE THE PLAYER
KICKS THE BALL
THE HEAD REFEREE CAN OVERRULE HIS ASSISTANT AND
ALWAYS HAS THE FINAL WORD.
ASSISTANT REFEREES
LAW
06

10. A FOOTBALL MATCH DURATION IS TWO EQUAL HALF’S OF 45
MINUTES. THE HALF TIME INTERVAL MUST NOT EXCEED 15
MINUTES.
THE REFEREE MAY ADD ON EXTRA TIME FOR:
• ANY SUBSTITUTIONS
• A PLAYER INJURY ASSESSMENT
• TIME WASTING
• ANY INJURED PLAYER WHO HAS TO BE REMOVED FROM
THE FIELD
ADDED TIME WILL BE PLAYED AT THE END OF THE HALF TO
MAKE UP FOR ANY TIME LOST DURING THE GAME.
THIS ADDED TIME IS CALLED ‘INJURY TIME’ AND IS
DIFFERENT TO ‘EXTRA TIME’ WHICH HAPPENS IN KNOCKOUT
COMPETITIONS TO DETERMINE A WINNER.
MATCH DURATION
LAW
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11. THE GAME IS STARTED OR RESTARTED BY A KICK OFF. THIS
TAKES PLACE:
• WHEN THE MATCH STARTS
• AFTER ANY GOAL IS SCORED
• TO BEGIN THE SECOND HALF
• AT THE BEGINNING OF ANY EXTRA TIME OR SECOND HALF
OF EXTRA TIME
NEW RULES STATE THAT THE BALL NO LONGER HAS TO GO
FORWARD FROM A KICK OFF. PLAYERS CAN PASS BACK TO
ANY PLAYER ON HIS TEAM OR EVEN SHOOT STRAIGHT AT
GOAL.
A COIN TOSS DECIDES WHICH TEAM KICKS OFF FIRST. THE
CAPTAIN WHO WINS THE TOSS CHOOSES WHICH END TO
KICK TOWARDS AND THE OTHER TEAM KICK OFF FIRST.
THE OPPOSING TEAM THEN KICKS OFF TO START THE
SECOND HALF.
START/RESTART OF PLAY
LAW
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12. THE BALL IS OUT OF PLAY WHEN THE WHOLE BALL
CROSSES THE GOAL LINE OR THE TOUCH LINE
(WHETHER IN THE AIR OR ON THE GROUND).
BESIDES THESE TIMES, THE BALL IS IN PLAY.
BALL IN AND OUT OF PLAY
LAW
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13. A TEAM CAN ONLY SCORE A GOAL BY THE BALL CROSSING
THE GOAL LINE, UNDERNEATH THE CROSSBAR AND BETWEEN
GOALPOSTS.
THE GOAL ONLY COUNTS IF NO OTHER RULE VIOLATION HAS
TAKEN PLACE.
THE WINNING TEAM IS THE TEAM WHO SCORE THE MOST
GOALS. IF BOTH TEAMS ARE LEVEL AT THE FINAL WHISTLE,
THEN THE MATCH IS A DRAW.
(UNLESS IN A COMPETITION WHERE EXTRA TIME, AWAY
GOALS AND PENALTIES COME INTO PLAY.
GOAL LINE TECHNOLOGY IS USED TO SIGNAL WHETHER THE
WHOLE BALL HAS CROSSED THE LINE. A MESSAGE IS SENT TO
THE REFEREE TO SIGNAL A GOAL OR NO GOAL.
METHOD OF SCORING
LAW
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14. THE OFFSIDE LAW IS ONE OF THE MOST DEBATED RULES IN
FOOTBALL.
A PLAYER CAN STAND IN AN OFFSIDE POSITION IF HE IS NOT
INTERFERING WITH PLAY. HOWEVER, A PLAYER IS OFFSIDE IF
HE IS CLOSER TO THE OPPONENT’S GOAL THAN THE SECOND
LAST OPPONENT AND THE BALL.
THE OFFENCE IS GIVEN WHEN HE TOUCHES OR RECEIVES THE
BALL
A PLAYER IS ONSIDE IF HE IS:
• IN HIS OWN HALF
• LEVEL WITH THE SECOND LAST OPPONENT
• RECEIVING THE BALL FROM A GOAL KICK, THROW-IN OR
CORNER KICK
A FREE KICK IS GIVEN TO THE OPPOSING TEAM WHEN A
REFEREE BELIEVES A PLAYER IS OFFSIDE.
OFFSIDE RULE
LAW
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15. FOOTBALL IS A CONTACT SPORT; HOWEVER EXCESSIVE FORCE,
RECKLESS BEHAVIOUR OR HANDLING THE BALL (EXCEPT FOR
GOALKEEPER) WILL RESULT IN A FREE-KICK.
THE MOST COMMON FOULS AND MISCONDUCT IN FOOTBALL ARE:
• KICKING, TRIPPING OR ATTEMPTING TO KICK OR TRIP AN OPPONENT
• CHARGING AN OPPONENT
• STRIKING OR PUSHING AN OPPONENT
• SPITTING AT AN OPPONENT
• HOLDING AN OPPONENT
• DELIBERATE HANDBALL
PENALTY KICKS ARE AWARDED IF ANY OF THE ABOVE FOULS TAKE
PLACE IN THE PENALTY AREA, AS LONG AS THE BALL IS IN PLAY.
AN INDIRECT FREE KICK IS GIVEN IF THE FOLLOWING OFFENCES OCCUR
WHEN A GOALKEEPER:
• HOLDS THE BALL IN HANDS IN HIS OWN AREA FOR OVER 6 SECONDS
• USES HIS HANDS AFTER A TEAMMATE PASSES THE BALL TO HIM
• TOUCHES THE BALL WITH HIS HANDS AFTER RELEASES THE BALL
FROM HIS POSSESSION BEFORE ANOTHER PLAYER TOUCHES IT
• HANDLES THE BALL FROM A THROWN IN TAKEN BY A TEAMMATE
FOULS AND MISCONDUCTS
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16. ANY TIME A FOUL OR INFRINGEMENT TAKES PLACE THE PLAY RESTARTS
BY EITHER A DIRECT OR INDIRECT FREE KICK FROMWHERE THE FOUL
WAS COMMITTED.
DIRECT FREE KICK:
A PLAYER CAN SCORE FROM A DIRECT FREE KICK WITH NO OTHER
PLAYER TOUCHING THE BALL. HOWEVER, IF A PLAYER KICKS A DIRECT
FREE KICK INTO HIS OWN GOAL, THE OPPOSING TEAM IS AWARDED A
CORNER KICK.
INDIRECT FREE KICK:
WHEN A REF AWARDS AN INDIRECT FREE KICK HE WILL RAISE ONE ARM
ABOVE HIS HEAD, HOLDING HIS ARM THEIR UNTIL THE FREE KICK IS
TAKEN.
THE BALL MUST TOUCH ANOTHER PLAYER BEFORE CROSSING THE
OPPOSING TEAM’S GOAL LINE FOR A GOAL TO STAND.
IF AN INDIRECT FREE KICK IS KICKED DIRECTLY INTO THE GOAL, A GOAL
KICK IS AWARDED. IF AN INDIRECT FREE KICK IS KICKED INTO PLAYERS
OWN GOAL DIRECTLY, THEN A CORNER KICK IS AWARDED TO THE
OPPOSING TEAM.
ALL FREE KICKS MUST BE TAKEN WHEN THE BALL IS STATIONARY.
FREE KICK
LAW
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17. IF A DEFENDER COMMITS FOUL PLAY IN HIS OWN AREA, THE
ATTACKING TEAM ARE AWARDED A PENALTY KICK.
THE PENALTY KICK IS TAKEN FROM THE PENALTY SPOT, THE BALL MUST
BE STATIONARY AND THE PENALTY TAKER CAN SCORE DIRECT FROM
THE SPOT.
THE GOALKEEPER MUST REMAIN ON HIS LINE UNTIL THE BALL IS
STRUCK.
ALL OTHER PLAYERS BESIDES THE PENALTY TAKER MUST BE IN THE
FIELD OF PLAY AND OVER 9.5 METERS FROM THE PENALTY SPOT.
PENALTY KICKS
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18. A THROW- IN IS ANOTHER WAY TO RESTART THE MATCH WHEN THE
WHOLE BALL CROSSES EITHER TOUCH LINE. A THROW-IN IS AWARDED
TO THE TEAM WHO DID NOT TOUCH THE BALL LAST.
THE THROW-IN MUST BE TAKEN FROM THE EXACT SPOT THE BALL LEFT
THE FIELD OF PLAY.
THE PLAYER TAKING THE THROW-IN MUST HAVE BOTH FEET BEHIND
THE TOUCH LINE (OFF OF THE PITCH), HOLD THE BALL IN BOTH HANDS
AND MAKE SURE HE DELIVERS THE BALL FROM BEHIND HIS HEAD.
PLAYERS CANNOT SCORE DIRECTLY FROM A THROWN IN.
THROW-INS
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19. IF THE WHOLE OF THE BALL CROSSES THE GOAL LINE HAVING TOUCHED
AN ATTACKING PLAYER LAST, THE DEFENDING TEAM IS AWARDED A
GOAL KICK.
THE GAME RESTARTS BY A PLAYER (USUALLY THE GOALKEEPER)
KICKING THE BALL OUT OF HIS PENALTY BOX FROM WITHIN HIS GOAL
AREA. THE BALL MUST TOUCH ANOTHER PLAYER BEFORE THE TAKER
CAN TOUCH THE BALL AGAIN.
ALL OPPOSING PLAYERS MUST REMAIN OUTSIDE THE PENALTY AREA
UNTIL THE GOAL KICK IS TAKEN.
GOAL KICK
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20. IF THE BALL CROSSES THE GOAL LINE (AND A GOAL IS NOT SCORED)
WITH THE DEFENDING TEAM TOUCHING THE BALL LAST, THEN A
CORNER KICK IS AWARDED.
THE CORNER MUST BE TAKEN FROM WITHIN THE CORNER ARC ON THE
SIDE OF THE FIELD CLOSEST TO WHERE THE BALL CROSSED THE GOAL
LINE.
ALL OPPOSING PLAYERS MUST BE OVER 9.15 METERS FROM THE
CORNER ARC BEFORE THE BALL IS KICKED.
THE KICKER CANNOT TOUCH THE BALL AGAIN UNTIL ANOTHER PLAYER
HAS TOUCHED THE BALL.
A GOAL CAN BE SCORED STRAIGHT FROM A CORNER KICK.
CORNER KICK
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21. NOW YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE LAWS OF THE GAME, ITS TIME TO
INCREASE YOUR TRAINING AND IMPROVE YOUR NUTRITION.
VISIT PLAYERSCOUT.CO.UK FOR ADVICE ON THE FOLLOWING:
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